Point taken, my first job of the new year will be to get blood work done. If I tell my doctor I have been using AAS and ask for a panel of blood tests, showing tests levels, cholesterol, etc, will this be sufficient, or is there something else specific I need to ask for?
BBB, I remember you mentioning to me that due to certain variables my chances of an accurate blood pressure reading is low, shall I take the blood pressure reading that the doctor gives me with a pinch of salt?
Read the “protocol for injections” sticky on the over 35 forum and all will be revealed.
The “letro study” is simply a study showing how the HPTA responds to lower E levels. If your HPTA is broken [obviously], then your response would be be poor. These studies are looking at one aspect. The studies often are looking at how a normal HPTA works and young normal males are used.
The study subjects probably had E2 levels getting very low and that can make you feel terrible. Studies of this nature are not intended to be medical options! There are similar studies that have the same mechanics using other aromatase inhibitors that lower E and SERMs that reduce the viability of E at the hypothalamus.
OTC and Rx drugs can increase E2, thus lowering T. Some drugs can increase prolactin, thus lowering T. Testes can be damaged. There can physical damage to the pituitary from blows to the head or whip lash. There can be pituitary tumors that limit LH production [adinomas]. Adinomas can press on the optic nerves causing visual field disturbances that might first be seen as reduced peripheral vision.
Hypothyroidism can reduce T levels. All young men who have low T need to be evaluated for pituitary damage or adinomas.
LH/FSH testing can determine if T is low from problems in the pituitary or the testes. hCG challenge injections and lab work can determine if the testes are LH responsive. Young men can sometimes use hCG to increase T if the testes are otherwise normal. The response to hCG is limited for older guys with aging changes to the testes.
Ok, I’ve just began re reading the HRT thread in the over 35’s, it does say that 1mg adex per week should be used in several doses (along with HCG) I missed that the first time I read it, I am going to have to re read it slowly as there is lots to take in. Thanks for the advice and feedback guys, and happy new year!
i would think that being you had a low test to begin with, and a period of using trt, that what you might have felt as symptoms previously would only be magnified at this point, unless approached really slowly
on the other hand i had recently switched doctors recently like 9 mos ago and he insisted on changing to testim the whole stable blood level thing "yeah yeah" all i can add for testim is it smells great as noted in a floating thread here, but i went from feeling great to feeling ahhh at best, test levels fell almost 200 pts switching to testim, i wish i had free test done along with total on the testim
point of it being shots work better were all ready stated, this is just my personal assesment
Guess im off to see a Urologist. I knew my doctor was ignorant about trt and today confirmed this. I won’t get into details but one shining point of the conversation was her stating the testosterone gel is actually making my testes work…see they didn’t work before now with the cream they are(lol). Taking 5/day of the cream has shut down my testes i believe…
She upped me to 7.5/day.
I ordered some Letro offline(seems like i can low dose this for a long time very cheap)
I just have to find some HCG i guess.
Now i wonder if i even have to see a urologist. I have blood work scheduled so i can see where i am at in a month or two. Its up to me when i get it done the doc said.
How hard could it be to manage my hormones? Maybe i am wrong but if i read up about the stuff extensively it should be easy to manage. Keep Estrogen in check and make sure my LH/FSH is in check. Total T/Free T should take care of itself right?
Thanks again for the advice.
Yes it is easy to manage. Track PSA levels.
If TRT works, LS and FSH will be close to zero. Pointless to be worried about that or testing. Only thing to do is to use hCG or not use hCG.
It reflects a poor understanding of injections and predates use of AIs. But the best first read.
Letro is considered to be harsh in that the dose-response is not well behaved. Anastrozole works very well and has predictable responses. That been said, a few are over responders and have to use around 1/4th of the expected dose. Those individuals will probably find letro unfriendly.
How to adjust anastrozole dose:
For typical 100mg injected test ester, take 1.0 mg/week in EOD divided doses. After 3-5 weeks, get a lab check for serum estradiol. Do not do saliva testing. If Quest is the lab, get the ultra high sensitivity test. If Labcorp, the standard test is good. With the results ‘X’ in hand, the new dose is the old dose * X/22. That will take you close to serum E2=22pg/ml.
You cab try the above with letro, but the initial dosing may need to be different.
Thanks man.
Ill try to find some HCG. Ill make sure i take a lower than recommended dose of Letro than adjust accordingly after my blood test results.
When i feel more comfortable i will get some test myself to inject 2x a week. This is a lifelong thing so i know its worth the effort of study. If i am going to manage my hormones eventually i want to walk around with the highest(yet safest) levels possible.
When i brought up needing an AI she told me i was being given testosterone and my estrogen was ok(like she had no idea increased test would increase estro).
When i asked about the HCG keeping my testes working she said i needed the testosterone because they weren’t working in the first place. I told her they were working just not in an optimum way before treatment. I told her they had atrophied and that to my knowledge if the testosterone gel i am using is even slightly more than my own bodies my body stops producing. I told her i was worried about fertility and she seemed to dismiss my claims that atrophied testes would reduce fertility.
She told me her office never gives out HCG or AIs and that they were only given out by specialist.
She seemed very ignorant. I know nothing in hindsight i know this…but she was worst than a 17 yr old asking for steroids.
I have seriously thought about switching doctors. What else is she ignorant about? I am about to only go to specialists for everything.